Scarlet Runner Beans Harvest

Thanks Sarah and Bill for the heirloom seeds. It was a bumper crop this year.

Viennese Striesel

 2 1/2 -3 1/2 cup all purpose or unbleached flour
1 package dry active yeast
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup water
4 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 egg
1/4 cup candied orange peel, chopped
3/4 cup currants
1/3 cup candied cherries, chipped

1 cup confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon milk

Makes One

Mix 3/4 cup of the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
Combine milk, water and butter in a saucepan and heat slowly until the liquid reaches about 130 F.
It is OK if the butter doesn't melt completely.
Pour the milk mix slowly into the dry ingredients blending well after each addition.
Mix two minutes at medium. Mix in the egg. Scrape the bowl. Add 1/2 cup of flour and beat two minutes. Blend in enough flour to make a soft dough.
Place dough on a lightly floured board and knead 8-10 minutes. I use my Kitchen Aid hook. When the dough is smooth and elastic put it in a greased bowl, turn it over once to cover with grease and cover the bowl. Allow to rise in a warm draft free place until about double in volume. Approximately 1 hour.
Punch the dough down and put in a lightly floured board. Knead in the fruits. Divide the dough into 9 equal portions. Roll into 15 inch lengths. Place four lengths on a lightly greased baking sheet or parchment and braid using the two center lengths as one piece. I twisted all of them separately. Indent the center of the braid with the side of your hand, forming a slight depression in the dough. Braid three more lengths and lay this braid on top of the center depression. Loosely twist the two remaining lengths and place on top of the loaf and tuck the ends under the loaf to seal. Toothpicks may be used to keep the loaf together. Cover the loaf and allow it to rise in a warm draft free place until double in volume, about 1 hour.
Bake for 30 minutes in an oven preheated to 350 F. Remove the loaf from the pan, take out the toothpicks, cool on a wire rack. Combine the confectioners sugar with the milk: dribble this on the topo and sides. Slice and enjoy with tea. I like to toast it in thin slices.
Note: You can vary the amounts of dried fruit to suit your needs. I originally made this recipe to use up candied pineapple from the holidays. It's a sweet dough that you can play with. This recipe is very fruity. If you like lighter breads decrease or eliminate fruits. It's up to you, it is your creation.

Lemon Meringue Pie

Lemon Meringue Pie

 9 inch baked pie shell
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 T. flour
2 cups boiling water
4 eggs, seperated
Rind of 2 lemons
Few grains of salt
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 T. butter

Filling
Mix the sugar, cornstarch and flour. Add boiling water gradually or just add cold water and stir. Cook constantly over direct heat until thickened and it boils.
Slowly add about half of the hot cornstarch mixture to the egg yolks stirring wildly to bring the two temperatures closer to each other without cooking the yolk to the boiled egg stage that is set up and solid. Then add the egg cornstarch mixture to the pot and boil and stir for one minute.
Remove pot from the heat and add the butter and lemon juice and a few grains of salt.

Cool slightly and pour into the baked pie shell and cover with the meringue. Brown meringue for 10 minutes in a moderate oven of 350-375 or 8-12 minutes in a 400 degree oven.

Meringue
4 egg whites
1/8 t. salt
1/4 t. cream of tartar
6 T. granulated sugar

Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add salt, cream of tartar and sugar, beating until stiff and shiny. Do not underbeat.  Spread over filling all the way to the edge. Bake 10 minutes of until golden brown. Remove from oven: cool 3 hours on a wire rack away from drafts.

Pastry Shell(10inch)
1 1/3 cups flour
 1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. vegetable shortening
4 T. ice water

Combine the flour, salt and vegetable shortening by cutting in the fat with a pastry blender until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle water over the dry one tablespoon at a time and toss about. Form dough into a ball and chill. Roll pastry about 1/8 inch thick. Prick dough with fork.Bake 15 minutes until light brown.

Bandana Bonanza!

Frozen Fruit Salad

1 cup sugar
20 oz. can crushed pineapple, juice reserved
2 small packages frozen strawberries
29 oz. can apricots, drained and quartered
4 large bananas
Boil sugar with one cup pineapple juice for two minutes. Add strawberries. After strawberries are thawed add remaining fruit. Freeze in a 9 x 13 pan.

This is a flexible recipe. You can use other fruits or add extras.

Refrigerator Cole Slaw

2 cups sugar
1 cup vinegar
1 cup water
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1 teaspoon celery seed

Boil sugar, vinegar, water and seasoning for two minutes. Set to side and let cool to room temperature.

1 cabbage
1 bunch celery

Chop small, 1/4 inch size approximately.
Soak the cabbage in water and ice to crisp.
Add drained cabbage and celery together and mix with the dressing.
This is supposed to keep for weeks in the refrigerator.
I like to use it on sandwiches and hot dogs. It is sweet and crispy!

Happy Birthday Randy!

KFC Coleslaw

KFC Coleslaw

Ingredients:

1 small head of cabbage or 1/2 head large cabbage, shredded, sliced or diced

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup yogurt

1 1/2 Tablespoon vinegar

2 1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice

Mix the dressing. Then add the cabbage. Let it marinate in the fridge to allow juice from cabbage to reduce the volume. Or, just eat when done mixing!

Lemon Curd Meringue Cake

French Onion Soup

French Onion Soup
Parmesan Croutons
4-3/4" thick white bread slices
(French bread makes good croutons too.)
1/4 cup buter, melted
2 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cut bread into 3-inch rounds using a large biscuit cutter or use similar shaped bread product that doesn't have to be cut.
2. Gernerously butter a baking tray. Or use parchment paper. Arrange bread on tray leaving some space between pieces. Brush tops with butter.
3. Sprinkle with Parmesan.
4. Bake 350 for 10-15 minutes or until dry and lightly browned.
(The Stouffer Cookbook)